Sanofi-aventis and JDRF Form Partnership

By JDRF

July 1, 2010

JDRF and sanofi-aventis have entered into a unique partnership to develop treatments for type 1 diabetes. The focus is on people at all different stages of the disease – from those newly diagnosed to people living with it for many years – as well as on preventing diabetes in those at risk for it.

Under the partnership, sanofi-aventis and JDRF will fund studies by academic investigators and non-profit medical research organizations, particularly in beta cell regeneration and immune therapies.

“JDRF is focused on immune therapies and regeneration as two key areas to develop better treatments and a cure for diabetes,” said Jeffrey Brewer, JDRF’s President and CEO. “Partnering with businesses such as sanofi-aventis, with its tremendous experience in bringing research to market to benefit patients, is an important way we can accelerate the pace of science toward those goals.”

The partnership will capitalize on JDRF’s network of academicians, institutions, and biotech partners, while leveraging sanofi-aventis’ drug-development experience. The goal is to help bring products and technologies to the clinical testing phase and eventually to people with diabetes. The partnership will provide sanofi-aventis with options to the intellectual property developed by researchers who receive funding through the program.

“Sanofi-aventis is committed to providing healthcare solutions that meet the needs of people with diabetes and their families,” said Pierre Chancel, the company’s Senior Vice President, Global Diabetes. “Our long-acting insulin is one of the leading insulin products for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and we continue to invest in research for additional therapies and solutions to meet the unmet needs of patients. Our partnership with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is an opportunity to help fund innovative research that will improve therapies and perhaps even find a cure for type 1 diabetes.”